I find that when I start writing a new article, I never know where it will end up. When I was still a member of the on-line writing site, Squidoo, I belonged to the Squidoo Book Club. One day they offered a challenge....write about your favorite fictional character, I had to really think about it. There were so many to choose from. But somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, where few dare to tred, I heard the little voice saying, “Dobby is still a free elf.” I knew I had to focus the review on Dobby the House-Elf from Harry Potter.It was a huge undertaking, for I wanted to explore the mythology of house elves to set the scene for the appearance of Dobby. Talking about the story line was quite easy, since J.K. Rowling had already done the hard work. But then I ran across an interview with her where she said she didn't really know where her characters and story lines come from. I had another writer friend who said she believed her characters were already in existence, and she just discovered them. That whole idea set me down the rabbit hole into the theory of parallel universes. So two my interests, fantasy fiction and quantum physics were joined together. I really don't think Dobby thought he was quite that powerful. If you have been sad because Dobby died in the book and movie, please take a moment to read “Is Dobby Still Alive in a Parallel Universe?” Then apparate, a magical form of teleportation, back to this blog post to leave a comment about what you have read. I dearly love to read comments from my readers and I promise to answer you. Click on this magical portal.“Is Dobby Still Alive in a Parallel Universe?”

That question is asked over and over in the song Alive by the pagan folk band Omnia. This is the song that got my attention when I first heard it, leading me to listen to many of their other songs.

The song Alive is very mysterious for it appears to honor Vana, the goddess of spring. I tried looking for the origin of this word and soon found myself immersed in Nordic mythology and gods and goddesses called the Vanir. After more searching I read some research where the word vana came from Sanskrit and means water. Other sources say it means forest. I've searched high and low for the language that is used in parts of the song. It doesn't seem to be a language that Google recognizes. I read a comment on You-Tube describing it as “mouth music” consisting mostly of nonsense words. Mouth music is used by acapella groups to mimic musical instruments. So really I have no idea what the words mean and am quite willing to accept that they may mean “dance for Vana” the goddess of spring.

As I said, the song Alive first introduced me to the group, but I have discovered many songs I like. At times I have to cringe because of the liberal use of the vulgar word f...k. Still, they celebrate being free and doing their own thing, dressing as they desire, and proudly wearing the label “weird.”

This is definitely a pagan band, therefore their music mainly attract pagans with similar ideas of protecting the earth. Omnia is now appearing at the Minstrel Hall in Sage Hollow at the Crossroads. If you are so inclined you can get there by clicking on Omnia, a Pagan Band that Rocks.

I wrote the article “Whispers of the Crone” several years ago after hearing the words run through my mind every night before I fell asleep. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew I needed to write something about crones. For most of my life, I have been a feminist and a naysayer against the cultural expectation women place on themselves to be beautiful and stay young looking. Why do celebrities choose to undergo face-lifts and botox treatments until their face is so frozen they can't smile? Yes, I know men do it too. It is difficult for me to understand the mindset of someone who would go to such lengths to avoid what is a natural process – aging. Yet that is what the cosmetic industry wants us to do. Buy a certain cream to make your skin look softer and younger. It is a multi-billion dollar industry, measuring in the hundreds of billions. Can you even imagine that number? Yet, women in particular will continue to listen to the hype which convinces them that they need to buy products that help them appear to be youthful. “Whispers of the Crone” invites the reader to take the opposite approach. Wrinkles are beautiful. Getting older is not a terrible disease we must avoid at all costs. It is a natural part of the journey of life. Eventually we get to the end of our journey in this life, yet I feel confident that the journey doesn't end with death. I celebrate my cronehood and try to accept with grace everything that comes with it. Please take a moment to let me know your thoughts about the article, or about getting older in general. To read the article first, hop (or hobble as the case may be, to Whispers of the Crone – Meeting Our Personal Crone.

I walked into a restaurant recently and immediately thought of my mother. On every wall hung beautiful artwork. They weren't enameled copper, but if Mom had been there she would have said, “Oh, that would make a nice enameling piece.” She found beauty everywhere she looked, whether it was a colorful flower or a lone tree on a Kansas prairie. Somehow things she observed made their way into one of her enameled pieces. I was lucky to have my mother to teach me the basics of enameling, although I didn't have the passion or patience for it that she did. It also allowed us precious time together and gave me unique memories of turning our ideas into artwork. Whether you are an artist, an art lover, or just curious, I am glad you stopped by. Please feel free to leave a comment here to let me know you were here. Quick link back to the Art of Copper Enameling

As a child I enjoyed getting an Easter basket filled with candy and eggs from the Easter Bunny. I always had to hunt for and for the jelly beans that were hidden around the house. I helped my mother color the eggs. My favorite aunt always gave me a stuffed rabbit as a gift. It never occurred to me that these symbols had nothing to do with the religious story of Jesus rising from the dead on Easter morning.

In 2008, after I had been a practicing Wiccan for over ten years, I was inspired to write about the origins of the Easter traditions; the pagan festival of Ostara. I was trying to think of a catchy phrase tp describe the concepts I had written. A little voice whispered in my ear, “Ostara is the Sabbat with the Rabbit.” It struck me as so appropriate that it became the title for the article. I spent hours doing research on the origins of these traditions. Ostara, also known as Eostre, is both the name of the holiday and of a goddess. It is an amazing folklore story that celebrates the return of spring and the renewal of rebirth of nature itself. “Ostara: The Sabbat with the Rabbit” was published on two different writing platforms, both of which have been discontinued. So, as we approach the season of Ostara in the Northern Hemisphere (in the Southern Hemisphere is occurs in September), I was eager to bring it out, dust it off, and invite my readers to enjoy the story.If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to take a moment to read the article, Then please return here to leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Shortcut to Ostara: The Sabbat with the Rabbit

Canadian Goose floating on Lake Superior in Copper Harbor, Mi. Taken when we were there for my mother's memorial.

I first began thinking about the article “It Is What It Is – Just a Cliche?” after my mother's memorial service in 2009. I had been stressing over what date we should have it on so that family could attend. When none of the dates seemed to work for everyone, my sister told me “It Is What It Is.” Phew, I was off the hook.

As I started thinking and reading about it, I soon realized that there is a lot more to those few words than just something thrown out when you can't think of anything else to say. A deeper, spiritual meaning starts to emerge when one meditates on what the words actually mean.

It took me many months to actually write the article, which was hosted at Squidoo.com at first. After that site sunk into the sea of oblivion, "It Is What Is" hung out with other deleted articles, until I decided that its time had come to share it again. It has found a new home among the Scrolls of Enlightenment in the Alchemist's Workshop.

These are all part of the imaginary world I have been creating at the Crossroads. Although I am recreating the original writing, I am also adding or deleting sections that I intuitively feel need to be changed. I am also immersing myself once again in the concepts of Be Here Now, because it is so easy to wander away from mindfulness, becoming stuck in the day to day drama of life.

This is the place to leave a comment if you feel called to do so. I haven't yet figured out why Weebly doesn't allow comments on the page itself but that's okay because guess what? It is what it is.

Share your own thought in the comment section below. I'd love to hear what you think.

I wrote the article about Frank Herbert's Dune as a response to a challenge to the Squidoo Book Club. After that site closed down, I took on the massive task of moving it to the Crossroads. The book has had a profound affect on the way I view the world. The words “the sleeper must awaken” mean ever more to me after many years of spiritual seeking.

It is a lengthy article, and I realize that many won't stick around to read the whole thing. That is okay. I know a few will be attracted to the message and find some nuggets of inspiration from it. If you are one of those few, thank you for sticking with it. Writing is a lonely profession so I love when readers leave comments. For some odd reason, this platform does not provide a comment box for pages like that. I started this blog so that visitors would have a venue to express their ideas or just say hi. Please feel free to tell me what you think. Are you a fan of Dune? Do you like the movie or book better? What do you think about the concept of spiritual awakening? All opinions are valued, please be polite and considerate. Shortcut to “The Sleeper Must Awaken”

I know it may be hard to believe, but I was in my late 40's when I first heard the name Ritchie Blackmore. No, I had not been living under a rock for all those years. It is just that my musical tastes were focused more on the Beatles, the Carpenters, Moody Blues, and Carole King. I really was not a fan of hard rock musicians like Deep Purple. But when my husband noticed that a group called Blackmore's Night would be performing in San Diego, he became very excited. Ritchie Blackmore had formed the renaissance group along with his partner, Candice Night. I had to admit that I had no idea who he was talking about. Thus began a journey of discovery, first Deep Purple, then Rainbow. I discovered I really liked them. I also became a true Blackmore's Night fan. I wrote the article, “Who Is Ritchie Blackmore?” I Asked, to describe this incredible discovery as well as to introduce this group of musicians who display such incredible talent.So hop on over to the article and listen to some of their music. Then hop back over here to let me know what you think. Please? Do I have to beg? Shortcut to “Who Is Ritchie Blackmore?” I Asked.

I wrote the article entitled “Joulupukki and Tonttu - Finnish Santa and Elves,” to promote items made by my husband using vintage greeting card. He makes most of our products in our Zazzle Store. It was amazing to me that I had grown up surrounded by people of Finnish descent, yet I had never heard the stories of Joulupukki and tonttu. I did a lot of research to discover the origins of the story. I was fascinated with the history of the Yule Goat and how it became Santa Claus. I don't claim it as a scholarly writing. It is just my humble attempt to connect the dots related to Finnish mythology and legends. I hope you enjoy the story. Feel free to leave a comment here after you have read it. Shortcut to Joulupukki and Tonttu – Finnish Santa and Elves

"The mind can weave itself warmly in the cocoon of its own thoughts, and dwell a hermit anywhere." James Russell Lowell

My article entitled How and When I Became a Hermit actually floated into my mind while I was taking a shower in an RV park where we were staying. I was musing on the fact that even the simple process of taking a shower had become an ordeal for me. I had, indeed, became a recluse.

The article is autobiographical and spans many decades, from almost failing shorthand class in high school because of shaking hands, how I became a social worker even though I was scared to talk to people, learning that I had a serious form of PMS, and discovering that many people are introverts and need not try to be anything else.

This was a hard story to write, for it opens the door to my soul, exposing the real me to the world. I wrote it because it was a story that wanted to be let out. I have received comments from many people who said they could relate to what I had written. I will be happy if my words can lead even one person to accept and understand their own journey of life a little better.

Author

I am a storyteller. I like to wrap inspirational messages inside little vignettes of my life or the lives of others. I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and am now living full time in an RV. Everything I've experienced in my 65 years in this incarnation is fair game to be written about.

Categories

This author is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com..